


swan song

by NotPersephone



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, F/M, Florence - Freeform, Last Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:35:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28915467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotPersephone/pseuds/NotPersephone
Summary: Their last time in Florence.
Relationships: Bedelia Du Maurier/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 12
Kudos: 31





	swan song

Sparks of static fizzle to the tips of her fingers. Bedelia senses the ripples of pleasure still flowing through her body like waves of a boundless sea, rising and falling steadily. She moves her toes wanting to make sure her legs are still working, her body somehow feeling as if not being hers anymore. The church bells ring loudly, the sound echoing through the open window, marking a passing of another hour, her only reference of time.

They have not left the bed since this morning, spending the hours in a frenzy of passion and entwined limbs. It is so unlike her, Bedelia muses, taking so much delectation from carnal activities. Or it _used to be_ ; she presses her body against Hannibal’s, legs tangled in between his, hand positioned on his chest, like a cat claiming its territory. Being so open in her desires and their expression feels raw and tantalizing; she cannot imagine herself being any other way.

There will be no returning to the way she was.

The bells keep tolling, the melody suddenly sombre in Bedelia’s ears, like summoning for a funeral or perhaps merely serving as a reminder of their borrowed time coming to its end.

_Isn’t that the same thing?_

Bedelia’s thoughts turn bitter in a wink, a sudden clench grasping at her chest. The imminent closeness of death and sex go hand in hand, as they say. Yet she knows it is not why they are lying here now.

The tightness in her chest becomes more rigid and she inhales slowly, attempting to lessen the pressure. The warm breeze rushes through the opening in the window, clearing the heavy air of their passion. Bedelia can now discern its hints with ease, sweets scents of Tuscany’s foliage mixed with aromas of roasted herbs and garlic. It is fresh and inviting, despite the heat, just like the city beyond has been to her. Never one for enjoying high temperatures before, she will miss the summertime here.

_There are a lot of things she has not enjoyed before._

The trickle of cold of passes down her spine and washes away the remnants of her fulfilment.

It was not supposed to be like that.

The perturbed thoughts make her mind feel as alien to her as her languid body. The familiar touch anchors her anew. Hannibal’s fingers begin to stroke her hair with utter tenderness, tips tracing the length of the strands as if memorising each curl and every change in shade. Bedelia presses her lips together; she knows he is doing just that. Still, an unbidden sigh tumbles from her lips, his caresses making her body surrender, despite the war in her mind. His response is to envelope her closer in his embrace.

She wonders if he can already feel it, a noose tightening around his neck. It may be that after a lifetime of living precariously, he is simply adjusting the rope like just another silk tie. It was his own hand that tied the knot, after all. Somehow, the thought angers her.

All the pieces are falling into place and all the players are making their final moves, just like she predicted. Her own game is impermeable and locked firmly in her mind. There is nothing she has not anticipated.

Then why would her heart quaver against her rib cage as if it were trying to break free?

Bedelia moves her fingers across Hannibal’s chest, nails raking through his hair, enjoying how he feels, holding into something tangible, away from her distraught thoughts. She forces her mind shut for now, letting her body take charge anew.

_She will not allow any feelings to show._ She grasps at the conviction, ignoring the fact that her body has been doing just that all this time.

She moves from her spot and sits astride him, her hips pushing down against his, a wordless summons for more pleasure. The expected flicker of want kindles in Hannibal’s eyes, but then settles into a soft glow, one that makes her heart flutter afresh. She presses her hips down harder, fingertips digging into his chest with impatience. He continues to merely gaze at her, his eyes following each line of her face with reverence. Bedelia leans forward and seals her demand with an urgent press of lips against his, but to her surprise, he does not respond in same. His hand reaches out to cradle her face and he stops her insistent mouth to gaze at her once more with the same quiet adoration.

“There is no need to rush, we have all the time in the world,” his thumb caresses her lips while he slowly strokes her cheek.

Bedelia’s jaw tightens; the lie is not only transparent but above all, condescending. Yet one glance into his eyes tells her that it is not a lie meant for her alone. She can see him clinging to his own words with desperate belief. The muscles in her face relax, but something cracks deep inside her, spilling onto her already fragile heart. She brings her lips to his once more, slower this time. Their mouths move against each other with unhurried deliberation, both savouring each point of contact, how well they fit together. Hannibal’s thumb touches her lower lip, making it part as he deepens the kiss with the same unrushed tenderness. Bedelia’s body awakens anew, each press of his lips like a spark igniting her nerve endings. But it is her heart that stirs the most. She feels it beating loudly in her chest, a swan song of unspoken sentiments.

She sighs as his hands begin the familiar journey down the side of her body, a road well-travelled but not any less exciting. He gently rolls her on her back while his lips and hands carry on with their caresses. Each stroke of his fingers is a line on a map of her body in his mind, each kiss a noted landmark. Bedelia’s throat tightens anew and she sighs, trying to alleviate the looming wave of sentiment. Her hands begin to mirror his, suddenly desperate to feel all of him. She presses her fingertips into his shoulders and back, traces the curve of his lower back while her legs encircle his hips and pull him firmer against her body. A quiet moan marks the moment when their bodies come together at last, the friction she was so desperate for. Hannibal begins to move slowly and she lets his strokes be leisurely as though time really were on their side. Her thighs press tightly against his and her body moves in the same rhythm, flowing together with his. Bedelia’s fingertips dig into his buttocks and Hannibal hastens the pace, meeting her want. The heat begins to rise and Bedelia’s head sinks back into the pillow, all her senses relishing how good it feels. How good he feels, like no one else has ever felt before.

She knows no one else ever will.

Hannibal whispers foreign words of adoration into her ears; she cannot understand his mother tongue but the sentiment is clear in every heartfelt syllable. It is more than enough to send her over the edge; she comes with his name on her lips. The word resonates against the walls of the bedroom, soon to become nothing but a ghost, haunting future inhabitants with echoes of tenderness interrupted. Hannibal follows right behind with a low grunt of release, yet he continues to hold her close, unwilling to let their bodies part. Their rushed breaths sound like a decrescendo of the melody they were dancing to.

Finally, he rolls to the side and pulls her with him; Bedelia allows herself to rest on his chest again. Their shared heat envelopes her as firmly as Hannibal’s arms, and she relishes the sensation, another one that was so odd to her once. The tightness in her throat returns and she feels tears brimming in her eyes. She shuts them decidedly, preventing the drops from falling, angry at herself for such a ludicrous display of weakness. Yet the effort only makes the tears advance harder, tumbling beneath the closed eyelids and marking her cheeks. She does not dare to look up at Hannibal.

She does not want him to see her come apart.

The arm around her encircles her further; Hannibal presses a kiss on her temple, and then rests his cheek against her forehead. Bedelia feels wet streaks where his skin touches hers. She says nothing. She snuggles into her favourite spot beneath his chin, her nose stroking his skin, soaking up the heat gathered there.

She will miss his warmth.

It is already dark when she wakes up suddenly, with shivers of cold surging beneath her skin. She opens her eyes to an empty bed and a cool room; Hannibal has left. He made sure to wrap her securely in the sheets, but it did not prevent the chill from slipping beneath the fabric. Bedelia grasps them firmly now as she sits up, gathering her thoughts. Another tremble makes her leave the bed and walk towards the still open window. The gentle breeze of the day has given way to a hostile wind as the night falls. The city beyond the glass looks menacing in its shadowy tints of blue and uncommon silence, the labyrinth of streets suddenly unwelcoming to her eyes. Bedelia closes the window with an abrupt firmness, her hand remaining on the frame, cold and strange to touch. The wind vanishes, making the space instantly milder, but Bedelia does not feel any difference. The cold has already slithered through her veins and settled in her core. She wraps the sheets tighter around herself, inhaling the scent of them both still lingering in between the fibers; it swirls around her chilled heart like steam. Bedelia’s fingers squeeze the fabric. The trails of dried tears stain her cheeks.

She wonders if she will ever be warm again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prompt that has been sitting in my inbox for many months. I don't usually do angst but decided it is high time I expand my ~range.  
> (But it would not be me if I haven't already started on a short story where they are back together in Argentina.)  
> Thank you for reading and stay safe everyone! ♥


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